awesome pics, Gary!! And there I thought I am the only one here with a weakness for close ups, lol.
You have an excellent eye for interesting motives.

And I love the baby swallows and the meadow, Bocco. The landscape looks very much like the area I live in, only the building style is different and our mountains are less ragged (ours are very old and worn down to soft round shapes).

Here in Bavaria, the blue flowers in the pic are called Wegwarte (waits at the road) as they mostly grow along roads and paths. It's one of my favourite flowers

There's a legend about the plant's name:
a young man was forced into the army and had to go to war. His betrothed waited at the road for him to return, wearing the blue dress he liked best so that he should be able to spot her from afar. He never returned, though, and she kept waiting for years until she was literally rooted to the spot and gradually turned into the blue waits-at-the-road flower.

On a more prosaical note: the roots of this plant were cut, toasted and ground as a coffee-substitute during and after the war. The leaves and buds are edible, too. The plant is the ancestor of our lettuce, belgian endive (aka chicoree) and radiccio.

Went to a Long Island Ducks game this evening with my son Ian. You were able to go onto the field before the game and get autographs from the team players.

Ian on the field

Click to expand...

Very cool shot ... and story. I haven't made it to a Ducks game yet, but I've been to a few Cyclones games. Minor League ball games are great for the youngsters. As much as mine enjoyed running the bases at Citi Field last year, she much preferred watching the game at Coney Island.

awesome pics, Gary!! And there I thought I am the only one here with a weakness for close ups, lol.
You have an excellent eye for interesting motives.

And I love the baby swallows and the meadow, Bocco. The landscape looks very much like the area I live in, only the building style is different and our mountains are less ragged (ours are very old and worn down to soft round shapes).

Here in Bavaria, the blue flowers in the pic are called Wegwarte (waits at the road) as they mostly grow along roads and paths. It's one of my favourite flowers

There's a legend about the plant's name:
a young man was forced into the army and had to go to war. His betrothed waited at the road for him to return, wearing the blue dress he liked best so that he should be able to spot her from afar. He never returned, though, and she kept waiting for years until she was literally rooted to the spot and gradually turned into the blue waits-at-the-road flower.

On a more prosaical note: the roots of this plant were cut, toasted and ground as a coffee-substitute during and after the war. The leaves and buds are edible, too. The plant is the ancestor of our lettuce, belgian endive (aka chicoree) and radiccio.

Hau’oli LanuiSee where the sky meets the sea, It calls mePremium Member

Went to a Long Island Ducks game this evening with my son Ian. You were able to go onto the field before the game and get autographs from the team players.

Ian on the field

Click to expand...

Very cool shot ... and story. I haven't made it to a Ducks game yet, but I've been to a few Cyclones games. Minor League ball games are great for the youngsters. As much as mine enjoyed running the bases at Citi Field last year, she much preferred watching the game at Coney Island.

Click to expand...

I have always loved going to Minor League games. I have gone to many, the Sommerset Patriots in Bridgewater NJ, the Newark Bears in Newark NJ, the NJ Jackals who play at Yogi Berra Stadium in Montclair NJ, even saw several games down in Atlantic City with the NJ Blue Claws. I have always wanted to see the Cyclones, so I should probably make it over to see them before the season is over.

awesome pics, Boco! You managed to get the essence of summer and early spring in the first 2 pics. And I love the cat picture, too! anyone else who reflexively has to yawn when looking at it? LOL it's so infectuous!)
I really gotta load a few of my old ones up to my server. I specialize in macros, preferably against the light.

Kestra, what a beautiful seaside place to be. Where is it? Do you sail that Hobiecat? I love sailing those... so fast and stable. Traveling by the wind is such a terrific feeling.

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My husband's grandparents have a farm in northern Michigan. Like, really really far north (while still being in lower Michigan). They also have a cottage off of Lake Huron nearby. The Hobiecat belongs to my father-in-law. He had one when he was younger and got this one a few years back. This was our first time up there at the same time with my husband's parents, so he took me out on the lake. It was awesome! It was pretty windy so it got a little crazy at one point, but I loved it.